I promised you whales

[Sparkle]

I know, I know, ages ago, but no addresses on my pics, then no Internet access. So anyway when we got to Ojo de Liebre the first thing I said was I didn't think much of this place. A...this, B.....that, C....the next thing. I was up to H when we went into our rigs for the night. Next morning I said G...the Bongo drums! Honestly they were so loud I heard them through the noise of my generator and the movie I was watching. I thought my generator was backfiring. I got up and a 1/4 mile up the road these aged hippes in a VW bus had a huge fire and Bongoing fit to bust.
However, we went on the Whale trip and I'll be darned if I can remember what I was complaining about. It was wonderful! Those enourmous animals, with their babies, came right up to the boats, gently slid under them and circled round for another go. We got covered with whale spit, some of Beth's photos are spotty and our glasses had salt on them. I was entranced with the sound they made when after expelling their breath with the "spit" when they took in a big breath before they slid under the water it sounded like someone blowing over the top of an enormous bottle. Or air blowing into a big cave. It's hard to believe that these are wild animals that choose to trust us after all we have done to them.

This was our campsite.



A Whale skeleton in front of the building.



Thar she blows!



The boat.



A whole bunch of whales pics.

[BirdbyBird]

WOW Thanks....

[BarbaraRose]

Wow! And I thought manatees were huge and cool! That would be awesome!

[Bethers]

I recognize some of those pics

And those drums were LOUD - but would let them play them again to see the whales again!

[Sparkle]

I don't know how Beth puts up with me. Between my complaining and bitchin and moaning, plus I was sick for most of the trip, then I brag about my skinny jeans, I'm down to 102lbs. She's nagging at me to eat, I'm making her look bad. NOT that she does, those of you who have met Beth know how tiny she is. There isn't much to choose from between Belle's legs and mine.

[Cedar518]

Wow,.... fantastic pics!

[sharon]

Isn't it amazing to see something like that? As you said, Sparkle, kind of tends to put the small inconveniences in our life into perspective.

[retiredhappy]

Wonderful pics. I find it so amazing that these animals CHOOSE to interact with us. I just don't understand how other countries can still hunt these intelligent animals. There is some thought that their brains are as complicated as ours and they have a language.

[carold]

Ditto what Sharon said. We had a big Beluga whale come up to our boat outside of Steward. It's breath was like being surrounded by rotting fish But absolutely amazing to be that close. Great pics. carold

[Sparkle]

It's breath was like being surrounded by rotting fish carold

That's surprising because all we smelled was salty water. Maybe ours took a breath mint before visiting us.
Does anybody remember the name of the Star Trek movie with the whales? They have to go back to our present day to take whales into the future. I'd like to see it again.

[Liz]

Awesome!

[AlmostThere]

What Liz said!

[Mrssissy]

Great pictures Sparkle, you have out done yourself on these. Really glad you are back in the states and had a good time. I know it was all Beth could do to keep you on good behavior. Now your reputation is spread all over the Mexican coast as well as the whole SE of the US.

[Nasoosie]

Amazing whale pics, you two! I can't WAIT to get that close to whales some day.

Back when I was little----like 2nd and 3rd grade-----I used to read whaling stories, and visit our local children's museum (right on my walking route to my school) with a whaling exhibit in it. I was horrified at both the descriptions of the mayhem visited upon those beautiful creatures by whalers for their oil, and by the graphic display of whalers at the museum....fake blood and all. I was transfixed by both the bravery of those whalers, who, back in those days, used tiny little skiffs and hand-thrown harpoons to kill those intelligent behemoths, and the agony of those beautiful creatures. It was the beginning of an awakening for me at the ignorant cruelty of humans toward our animal creatures with whom we share this planet. I knew the authors of those books were trying to extoll the bravery of whalers, but, as I learned more and more, I was seeing only the torture of those magnificent whale souls.

Thanks for the great photos and description of your experience. I would like to believe that most of us have come a long way in understanding our fellow Earth inhabitants.

P.S., Sparkle----I like your new avatar! But you need to begin eating more!

[Sparkle]

I'm eating by the clock now, Soos, instead of waiting until I'm hungry, which just wasn't happening.